Ælis/Morphology
Ælis is an oligoanalytic language. The oligo- part of this word means that the language is built with a minimal amount of basic speech concepts called 'root words'. Whereas regular languages have up to hundreds of thousands of words, Ælis only has a few hundred. The speech particles can be combined in order to form more complex words. The analytic part of the word means that the language has no bound morphemes. A bound morpheme, for example, is the letter '-s' in the English word 'houses', where it indicates a plural. But the letter S is not an independent word in English, nor does it have the meaning of 'plural' wherever it appears. The fact that Ælis has no bound morphemes means that each morpheme always has the same meaning. Some root words in the Ælis thesaurus are straightfoward stand-alone lexemes, meaning that they have a meaning like a word you can find in a dictionary. Examples include mA {ma} (man, male), tW {tæ} (color), or bI {bi} (funny, humor). But there are other root words that have a somewhat grammatical component to them as well. Learning what they are and how they work will be fundamental to understanding the how the morphology works. In part 1 of this page, we will have a look at these special building blocks. In part 2, we'll go into detail about different ways to combine root words in order to form complex clusters. PART 1: SPECIAL BUILDING BLOCKS Number concepts Along with the 21 common letters of the alphabet, Ælis uses a set of ten additional symbols called number concepts, from now on referred to as "Lisqa". Lisqa are proper root words which all have a numeric value: Lisqa are a noteworthy aspect of the languages' morphology, mainly because the underlying idea doesn't share any common ground with concepts found in the English grammar (or probably most human languages' grammar, for that matter). A first important remark is that these number concepts are not the same as cardinal numbers. Instead, they are present in words where the corresponding numeric value is somehow conceptually present. The most illustrative lisqa example can be found in the very name of the language: 1lIS {ælis} consists of 1 {æ} (1) and lIS {lis} (concept, idea), the concept of one meaning as much as 'peace' or 'harmony', or of course 'unity'. Counting 0-9 Ælis does not have individual words for numbers, nor has it any separate symbols for ciphers. But as you might have guessed, the number concepts are used to express numbers: all numbers end with the fixed root word qA qa, which can mean 'number', 'amount', 'countable' or 'unit'; with number concepts preceding it. The first five numbers use the lisqa of the low range: The numbers from 5 to 9 use the high range lisqa. Try to see it similarly to the fact we have two hands with 5 fingers each. 10+: Simple numbers For all positive numbers 10 and up, in the simple system, multiple number concepts are combined as if they were digits. E.g.: this is a margin section. 10+: Complex numbers In the complex system, repitions of the same number may be joined in with a multiplication-like system, comparable to English: 007 (zero-zero-seven) ⇔ 007 (double-o-seven). In Ælis, this is achieved by enclosing the amount of times that the following digit has to be repeated in the letter {d}, primary case to open, secondary case to close: 007 007qA {a'a'u̯eqa} ⇔ 007 d2D07qA {deda'u̯eqa} (two times zero, then seven). The complex system becomes increasingly interesting for high numbers that contain identical adjacent digits. Compare: Personal pronouns The number concepts also play a role in the construction of personal pronouns. If you look at them as the 'first/second/third person', the idea becomes more tangible. Personal pronouns exist in five grammatical persons, and three genders. The genders male, female and undefined are purely semantical, so they don't govern the declension of nouns or the like. Note that the category of undefined pronouns is not the same as a neuter grammatical gender. In Ælis, the undefined pronouns are used only if a speaker: is unaware of the gender; doesn't wish to specify a gender; refers to a group where both sexes are present. Furthermore, the personal pronouns are only used for arguments that can be interpreted as having a character: people, or sometimes animals, anthropomorphized objects (in literature), ect. They are never used for referring to objects (as opposed to the English use of it). Singular The singular pronouns are formed as follows: Ælis' "4th person" refers to someone other than me, you, or him/her. It may refer to either someone beyond eyesight, or to someone unknown: me, you, him/her, and 'the other': The "0th person" refers to the generalizing 'one', as in 'one does not simply...'. The person that French refers to as on, in German man, etc.: Plural: simple There are two methods to form plural personal pronouns in Ælis: the simple and complex pronouns. The latter are more natural to Ælis itself, but the former may be more intuitive to speakers from other languages. The simple plural pronouns take the same approach as the singular ones, only do they employ the first three lisqa of the high range rather than the low range. Plural: complex In the complex approach, the idea is not to use the high range lisqa instead of the low range ones, but instead, to use more than one lisqa. In essence, this is a way to compress two simple, singular pronouns into one. For example: Inclusive 'we': 1mA {æma} + 2mA {ema} ⇒ 12mA {æ'ema} me(male) you(male) you and me(both male) Exclusive 'we': 1nI {æni} + 3nI {ini} ⇒ 13nI {æ'ini} me(female) her me and her(both female) If two or more people are not all the same gender, the undefined pronoun must be used: 1nI {æni} + 3mA {ima} ⇒ 13tE {æ'ite} me(female) him me and him(mixed) The complex system allows creative blends: 0nI {ani} + 2nI {eni} ⇒ 02nI {a'eni} women in general you(female) you, just like all other women Note that the lisqa ought to be placed strictly in ascending order: 21tE {e'æte} ⇒ 12tE {æ'ete} Use Because Ælis attaches great value to the correct use of genders in personal pronouns, addressing someone face to face with 2tE {ete} (you, undefined) could be taken as an offense. Addressing someone is often also done by merging a personal pronoun with a noun. Compare: nIuE3rA {ni'ue'ira} = "'''mother'"'' (when speaking about someone's mother); 2nIuE3rA {eni'ue'ira} = "'(you,) mother'"'' (when addressing your own mother). It is even common and polite to prefix a personal pronoun (with the correct gender) to a given name: kqEVINK {qevin} = ''"'Kevin'"''; 2mAkqEVINK {ema('re)'qevin} = ''"'(youmale ) Kevin'"''. ksARAK {sara} = ''"'Sarah'"''; 2nIksARAK {eni('re)'sara} = ''"'(youfemale ) Sarah'"''. ksANDERSK {sanders} = ''"'Sanders'"''; 2mAksANDERS {ema('re)'sanders} = ''"'Mr. Sanders'"''. keNDZZUZK {endzzuz} = ''"'Andrews'"''; 2nIkeNDZZUZK {eni('re)'endzzuz} = ''"'Ms. Andrews'". Qualifiers Qualifiers are a set of five words that can be attached to other words, which will then express a certain amount, degree, extent or quality of of that word. The qualifiers are formed by prefixing Lisqa from 0 to 4 to the fixed root word {-ra}. Therefore, there are five qualifiers 'levels': 0rA {ara} (nothing) 1rA {æra} (little) 2rA {era} (moderate/middle/half) 3rA {ira} (much) 4rA {ora} (all/total) Let's have a look at a few examples. Pay attention to which effect the qualifiers have to the base word: nA {na} – "quality" nA0rA {na'ara} terrible nA1rA {na'æra} bad nA2rA {na'era} mediocre nA3rA {na'ira} good nA4rA {na'ora} perfect uB {ub} – "power" uB0rA {ub'ara} powerless uB1rA {ub'æra} weak uB2rA {ub'era} moderately strong uB3rA {ub'ira} strong uB4rA {ub'ora} almighty zU {zu} – "temperature" zU0rA {zu'ara} freezing zU1rA {zu'æra} cold zU2rA {zu'era} lukewarm zU3rA {zu'ira} warm, hot zU4rA {zu'ora} hot, blistering heat dI {di} – "volition" dI0rA {di'ara} prohibition dI1rA {di'æra} disadvice dI2rA {di'era} allowance dI3rA {di'ira} preference dI4rA {di'ora} obligation, demand vE {ve} – "value" vE0rA {ve'ara} worthless vE1rA {ve'æra} cheap vE2rA {ve'era} priceworthy vE3rA {ve'ira} valuable, expensive vE4rA {ve'ora} priceless dW {dæ} – "brightness" dW0rA {dæ'ara} pitch black dW1rA {dæ'æra} dark dW2rA {dæ'era} dim dW3rA {dæ'ira} bright dW4rA {dæ'ora} blinding These examples only show few of numerous possibilities; the qualifiers can attach to many root words, by which a fivefold of words is created. Getting a grasp on the qualifiers means getting a grip on what the Ælis language is all about. Axes of time and space Ælis' axes of time and space lay out the fundaments of what will later be the equivalent of many prepositions and also time tenses. The system exploits the mechanics of both the lisqa and the qualifiers, so that the entire system can be built around one root word. This is the root word dA {da}, which means 'axis', also 'axle' or '(straight) line'. Let's start with space first. The Ælis paradigm can be compared to an X-Y-Z graph that you may remember from math class: each of the axes of Ælis corresponds to one of the dimensions in such a graph. The axes of space use the root word aN {an} (space, place, location) in combination with the root word dA {da}, and lisqa added before the latter of these, to indicate which spatial axis is referred to. As such, the axes of space are: 1) aN1dA {an'æda} the horizontal axis, which ranges from left to right; 2) aN2dA {an'eda} the vertical axis, which ranges from bottom to top; 3) aN3dA {an'ida} the depth axis, which ranges from back to front. Though the space we live in is threedimensional, Ælis has two more axes in its system: 4) aN4dA {an'oda} the in-out axis, which ranges from inside to outside; 5) aN0dA {an'ada} the absolute axis, which describes the cardinal points. Then, an additional qualifier is added to indicate one of five points on the axis. aN1dA {an'æda} – "horizontal" aN1dA0rA {an'æda'ara} leftmost aN1dA1rA {an'æda'æra} left aN1dA2rA {an'æda'era} middle aN1dA3rA {an'æda'ira} right aN1dA4rA {an'æda'ora} rightmost aN2dA {an'eda} – "vertical" aN2dA0rA {an'eda'ara} bottom aN2dA1rA {an'eda'æra} down/below aN2dA2rA {an'eda'era} middle aN2dA3rA {an'eda'ira} up/above aN2dA4rA {an'eda'ora} top aN3dA {an'ida} – "depth" aN3dA0rA {an'ida'ara} far back aN3dA1rA {an'ida'æra} back aN3dA2rA {an'ida'era} middle aN3dA3rA {an'ida'ira} front aN3dA4rA {an'ida'ora} far front aN4dA {an'oda} – "in-out" aN4dA0rA {an'oda'ara} deep inside aN4dA1rA {an'oda'æra} inside1 aN4dA2rA {an'oda'era} middle2 aN4dA3rA {an'oda'ira} outside3 aN4dA4rA {an'oda'ora} far outside used to describe, for example, something against a wall on the inside of a house. used to describe, for example, something on a doorstep, an open window, ... used to describe, for example, something against a wall on the outside of a house. aN0dA {an'ada} – "cardinal" aN0dA0rA {an'ada'ara} North aN0dA1rA {an'ada'æra} East aN0dA2rA {an'ada'era} center° aN0dA3rA {an'ada'ira} South aN0dA4rA {an'ada'ora} West ° used to describe the absolute geographical middle. With the axes of space covered, we can now speak about time. This axis is slightly easier, because there is only one axis. Therefore, the first lisqa is dropped, as there is no need to determine a dimension. The temporal axis uses the root word for 'time' instead of the one for 'space': aSdA {asda}, which ranges from past to future: aSdA0rA {asda'ara} far past history aSdA1rA {asda'æra} (recent) past aSdA2rA {asda'era} present aSdA3rA {asda'ira} (near) future aSdA4rA {asda'ora} far future eternity Singular vs. Plural In its core, Ælis does not have a notion of 'singular' vs. 'plural': all lexical root words of Ælis are seen as mass nouns. English examples of mass nouns, also called non-count nouns, include 'water', 'sand' or 'furniture'. This means that if you see any (root) word X, you ought to interpret it as "a(n unspecified amount of) X". This makes transcription to English a bit tricky sometimes, as, for example, tE {te} can mean both 'person' and 'people', qOrEmI {qoremi} can mean both 'cat' and 'cats', aN {an} can mean both 'place' and 'places', etc. In practice, however, the amount implied can often be derived from context. If not, Ælis has two ways to specify the amount of a noun. Method number one exists of none simpler than simply adding a cardinal number before the other word. 0qAtE {aqa'te} zero people 1qAtE {æqa'te} one person 2qAtE {eqa'te} two people 3qAtE {iqa'te} three people 4qAtE {oqa'te} four people 0qAqOrEmI {aqa'qoremi} zero cats 1qAqOrEmI {æqa'qoremi} one cat 2qAqOrEmI {eqa'qoremi} two cats 3qAqOrEmI {iqa'qoremi} three cats 4qAqOrEmI {oqa'qoremi} four cats If it proves undesirable or even impossible to use this method (e.g.: with uncountables), method two consists of adding a qualifier to the root word qA {qa}, and prefix that to another word: qA0rAtE {qa'ara'te} no people no one qA1rAtE {qa'æra'te} some people qA2rAtE {qa'era'te} several people qA3rAtE {qa'ira'te} many people qA4rAtE {qa'ora'te} all people everyone qA0rAqOrEmI {qa'ara'qoremi} no cats qA1rAqOrEmI {qa'æra'qoremi} some cats qA2rAqOrEmI {qa'era'qoremi} several cats qA3rAqOrEmI {qa'ira'qoremi} many cats qA4rAqOrEmI {qa'ora'qoremi} all cats every cat PART 2: CHAINING Basic word structure The whole idea of the Ælis morphology is that the actual root words convey very basic concepts. But several root words can be combined to create derived, slightly more complex ideas: When two root words are combined, then a hierarchy will grow between them automatically. The first root will have a nominal value, meaning that it can be compared to a noun. The second root will then be a descriptor of that noun, similar to an adjective or adverb. For example: the root word tE {te} can mean both "person" (noun), or "human" (noun/adj.). The word uB3rA {ub'ira} can mean both "strength" (noun) and "strong" (adjective). If we combine them in this order, then tE {te} will be the noun 'person', and uB3rA {ub'ira} will be the adjective 'strong': tEuB3rA {te>ubira} → strong person If we flip the word order, we'll also turn the noun into an adjective and vice-versa: uB3rAtE {ubira>te} → human strength Another example. eG1lIS {eg>ælis} → language>harmony → harmonious language 1lISeG {ælis>eg} → harmony>language → linguistic harmony ⇒ poetry So, creating words in Ælis does not solely depend on which root words you pick, it is also important how you combine them. Node particles There are six root words that can be used to link two (root) words in special ways. Infixing such a node particle between one (root) word and the next will add an additional relationship between the two. The characteristic particle X eM Y X adj. Y X which is Y X with characteristic Y The characteristic particle, eM {em}, is a particle that can be used to create adjectives. Even though the relationship of noun-adjective is already present in two randomly joined root words, the characteristic particle allows one group of root words (i.e.: a word) to become an adjective of another group of root words. Again, the word order is relevant for the way in which the roles of noun and adjective are assigned: nIaQ1rAaS {ni'aq'æra'as} girl ⇒ nIaQ1rAaSeMeLeAnA3rAeN {ni'aq'æra'asemeleana'ira'en} beautiful girl �� eLeAnA3rAeNeMnIaQ1rAaS {eleana'ira'enemni'aq'æra'as} a girl's beauty + eLeAnA3rAeN {eleana'ira'en} beauty Another example: aSdA0rA {asda'ara} history ⇒ aSdA0rAeMnWoW4rA {asda'ara'emnæ'oæ'ora} turbulent history �� nWoW4rAeMaSdA0rA {næ'oæ'ora'emasda'ara} historical revolution + nWoW4rA {næ'oæ'ora} unease, turmoil The referent particle X vW Y X with regard to Y X is compared to Y applies to X more than Y The referent particle, vW {væ}, is a particle that can be used to create a framework. This framework is limiting in nature, meaning that the rest of the utterance is only valid with regard to the referent, not to anything else. The referent particle {væ} could therefore be understood as meaning "when compared to". The particle can make itself useful in various ways. Prepositions of time and place The referent can connect to words that express a location or a point in time (cf. Axes of time and space) in order to make them relative. This way, they turn into prepositions: aN1dA3rA {an'æda'ira} right-hand side ⇒ aN1dA3rAvW3nI {an'æda'ira'væ'ini} to her right, right of her + 3nI {ini} she, her Another example: aN2dA3rA {an'eda'ira} up, above ⇒ aN2dA3rAvWknUiOOUQK {an'eda'ira'væ(re)nu ioouq} over New York, above New York + knUiOOUQK {(re)nu ioouq} New York Or: aSdA1rA {asda'æra} the past ⇒ aSdA1rAvWlI1mAiI2mA {asda'æra'væli'æma'ii'ema} before I give (it) to you + lI1mAiI2mA li'æma'ii'ema} I give to you Fractions The referent particle can also be used to express fractions. Its meaning then becomes "X out of Y": 1qAvW2qA {æqa'væ'eqa} 1 out of 2 1/2 3qAvW4qA {iqa'væ'oqa} 3 out of 4 3/4 65qAvW100qA {u̯æ'u̯aqa'væ'æ'a'aqa} 65 out of 100 65% By extension, the particle can also be used to highlight parts of a group in general: 4qAvW10qAmA {oqa'væ'æ'aqa'ma} 4 out of 10 men, four in ten men 3qAvWqOrEmI {iqa'væqoremi} 3 of the cats qA3rAvWgOE {qa'ira'vægoe} most of the water Comparative and superlative The referent harbours the key to creating comparative, and by extension, superlative structures. The mechanism for comparative structures works a bit differently from English, where we create our comparative structure with either a predicative or adverbial phrase. Predicative: I am taller than you. Adverbial: I run faster than you. The syntactical structure of Ælis is different. Two arguments are compared directly to one another in an otherwise regular, positive statement: iA1tEvW2tEhAaQ3rAaN2dA {ia'æte'væ'ete ha'aq'ira'an'eda} I compared to you am tall. lA1tEvW2tEhAaNiIvWaQ1rAaS {la'æte'væ'ete ha'aniivæ'aq'æra'as} I compared to you run quickly. Ælis has no distinct superlative. Instead, the comparison is made to something much bigger. For example: iA1tEvWqA4rAtEhAaQ3rAaN2dA {ia'æte'væ'qa'ora'te ha'aq'ira'an'eda} I compared to all people am tall. lA1tEvWqA4rAtEhAaNiIvWaQ1rAaS {la'æte'væ'qa'ora'te ha'aniivæ'aq'æra'as} I compared to all people run quickly. The activity particle X lO Y X does Y X causes Y X initiates Y The activity particle, lO {lo}, is a particle that can be used to express actions. If it prefixes to another root word, it will transform that root word into an active verb. If it suffixes to another root word, it turns that root word into the subject of an action. The desired use of the activity particle is to have it play both of these roles at the same time, by infixining it between two other words, so that "X-{lo}-Y" conveys the idea of "something {that does} action": tE {te} person ⇒ tElOeGeN {telo'egen} person who does writing writer + eGeN {egen} writing, script The passivity particle X iO Y X affected by Y X to whom Y is done X at whom Y is targeted The passivity particle, iO {io}, is a particle that can be used to express arguments affected by actions. If it prefixes to another root word, it will transform that root word into a (passive) verb. If it suffixes to another root word, it turns that root word into the (in)direct object, or the target of an action. The desired use of the passivity particle is to have it play both of these roles at the same time, by infixining it between two other words, so that "X-{io}-Y" conveys the idea of "something {target of} action": tE {te} person ⇒ tEiOeGeN {te'io'egen} person target of writing reader, addressee + eGeN {egen} writing, script The origin particle X lI Y X done by Y X caused by Y X originating from Y The origin particle, lI {li}, is a particle that can be used to express agents of actions. Essentially, it has the same role as the activity particle, but with reversed word order: eGeN {egen} writing, script ⇒ eGeNlI1mA {egenli'æma} writing done by me my text that which I write + 1mA {æma} I, me The target particle X iI Y X done to Y X affecting Y X going towards Y The target particle, iI {ii}, is a particle that can be used to express patients of actions. Essentially, it has the same role as the passivity particle, but again with reversed word order: eGeN {egen} writing, script ⇒ eGeNiI1mA {egenii'æma} writing done to me that which is written to me + 1mA {æma} I, me Combinations The aforementioned particles eM {em} (characteristic), vW {væ} (referent), lO {lo} (activity), iO {io} (passivity), lI {li} (origin), and iI {ii} (target) are to be used as 'nodes' between one word and the next. The amount of these node particles isn't restricted to one per word. Two or three, an a theoretical infinite amount is also possible. Activity + characteristic tElOeGeR {telo'eger} person (who) does speaking + eGeReM1lIS {egerem'ælis} speaking with attribute harmony ⇓ tElOeGeNeM1lIS {telo'egerem'ælis} person (who) does speaking with attribute harmony (speech) poet Activity + target 3nIlOeGeN {ini'lo'egen} she does writing + eGeNiI1mA {egenii'æma} writing done to me ⇓ 3nIlOeGeNiI1mA {ini'lo'egenii'æma} she does writing done to me that which she writes to me Passivity + origin 3nIiOeGeN {ini'io'egen} she (who is) target of writing + eGeNlI1mA {egenli'æma} writing done by me ⇓ 3nIiOeGeNlI1mA {ini'io'egenli'æma} she (who is) targeted by writing done by me that which she receives from me in writing; my letter to her Passivity + origin + characteristic 3nIiOeN {ini'io'en} she (who is) target of vision + eNlIqOrEmI {enli'qoremi} vision done by cat + qOrEmIeMtWdW0rA {qoremi'emtædæ'ara} cat which is black ⇓ 3nIiOeNlIqOrEmIeMtWdW0rA {ini'io'enli'qoremi'emtædæ'ara} she (who is) target of vision done by cat which is black she who is looked at by the black cat; her being seen by the black cat The separator particle It is key to understand that the node particles always link a word to the one immediately preceding it. Have a look at the following word: nI {ni woman lO lo who does eG1lIS eg'ælis Ælis language eM em with attribute eLeAnA3rAeN eleana'ira} pleasant, beautiful In this word, the word "beautiful" refers to "Ælis", and therefore it means '(female) speaker of the beautiful Ælis language'. That is how the chaining principle of Ælis is inherently structured. But what do we do if we want both the words "(to speak) Ælis" and "beautiful" to refer to the "woman"? In comes the separator particle, tA {ta}. The particle functions as a kind of "reset" button for the hierarchy within a word. We can place the particle before the word "beautiful" in order to make it refer back to the "woman": nI {ni woman lO lo who does eG1lIS eg'ælis Ælis language tA ta and eM em with attribute eLeAnA3rAeN eleana'ira} pleasant, beautiful ⇒ Beautiful (female) speaker of Ælis. Hyper-noding (sentence words) Ælis makes extensive use of both the node particles and the separator in order to create massive words. These words are so rich in meaning that they could be considered to be one word sentences. Let's have a look at an example of such a "hyper-noded"word: qOrEmIeMtWdW0rAtAeMaQ3rAaNtAiOeLeAnA0rAlIqA4rAeRlI1mA {qoremi'emtædæ'ara ta'emaq'ira'an ta'io'eleana'ara'liqa'ora'erli'æma} First, let's determine the 'node' and the separator particles within this word: qOrEmI {qoremi eM em tWdW0rA tædæ'ara tA ta eM em aQ3rAaN aq'ira'an tA ta iO io eLeAnA0rA eleana'ara lI li qA4rAeR qa'ora'er lI li 1mA æma} Then, we need to know the meanings of the individual lexical words: qOrEmI {qoremi cat eM em tWdW0rA tædæ'ara black tA ta eM em aQ3rAaN aq'ira'an big tA ta iO io eLeAnA0rA eleana'ara discomfort, unease lI li qA4rAeR qa'ora'er noise, loudness lI li 1mA æma} I, me Finally, we add the roles of the nodes: qOrEmI {qoremi cat eM em with attribute tWdW0rA tædæ'ara black tA ta and eM em with attribute aQ3rAaN aq'ira'an big tA ta and iO io affected by eLeAnA0rA eleana'ara discomfort lI li by qA4rAeR qa'ora'er noise lI li by 1mA æma} me And so, we get: qOrEmIeMtWdW0rAtAeMaQ3rAaNtAiOeLeAnA0rAlIqA4rAeRlI1mA {qoremi'emtædæ'ara ta'emaq'ira'an ta'io'eleana'ara'liqa'ora'erli'æma} The big black cat, (which is) annoyed by the noise I make. ---- Further reading Main page Reading and writing Morphology Function marking Root word list and vocabulary Category:Ælis